Articles & Abstracts

In an effort to answer the questions arising from having a diagnosis such as mesothelioma, this section provides abstracts and links to the most recent medical literature on mesothelioma. We are in the process of performing a systematic review of the literature between 1993 - 2004. We have excluded articles that were restricted to animal subjects and were not published in the English language. The criteria used in selecting studies were determined by an internal medicine epidemiologist. We will organize the articles according to their content in the categories described below.

Review Studies

These are articles reviewing the extensive literature on mesothelioma in an attempt to offer the most up-to-date answers on cause and diagnosis of mesothelioma and the most recent treatment options. While they are an excellent way to start an inquiry, they may not answer more specific questions, pertinent to the individual case.

Case Studies

A number of rare presentations of mesothelioma have been observed. Mesothelioma occurring in children, or mesothelioma affecting sites such as the heart, scrotum or the ovaries will be reviewed in case studies in this section. The rare issue of benign mesothelioma is also discussed.

Etiological Studies

This research attempts to define factors causing mesothelioma, such as most importantly, asbestos. They also analyze other environmental and occupational factors that affect the individual susceptibility for the development of mesothelioma.

Diagnostic studies

These articles may offer a comprehensive review of current diagnostic tools for mesothelioma, or they may analyze specific diagnostic approaches separately. They will also cover topics such as markers for the early recognition of the disease or its recurrence following therapy.

Therapy studies

This category will be the broadest, including articles describing new therapies for mesothelioma, comparing various types of therapies and discussing the outcomes following therapy. The most important aspects of the studies which will be highlighted in the commentary shall be: the type of patients analyzed, the form of therapy used and the outcome pursued by the investigators.

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